Net markings around the head of dead dolphin. Photo: Carrie CervantesOn February 11th, three days before the international World Love For Dolphin’s Day, Sea Shepherd discovered 14 dolphin corpses floating between the M/V Sam Simon and The M/V Farley Mowat in Mexico’s Sea of Cortez. At least two of them showed signs of a violent death, with net marks on their bodies, stab wounds or fins crudely cut off in order for the fisherman to remove them quickly from their nets.

In the last month alone, the Sam Simon has retrieved 22 illegal nets in the Sea of Cortez. These dangerous nets entangle various marine life, which likely included some, if not all, of the 14 dead dolphins that Sea Shepherd found. When a situation like this occurs, Sea Shepherd notifies Mexico’s environmental protection agency, PROFEPA who uses this data to understand the devastating effect of illegal fishing on wildlife in this area.

To assist Sea Shepherd in patrolling the Sea of Cortez to protect the marine wildlife in it including the near-extinct vaquita porpoise and the totoaba, please donate to Operation Milagro III: http://www.seashepherd.org/milagro3/